Roof truss



March 2s, 1939. l J, s EmsON 2,151,959

` ROOF TRUss I Filed Sept. l5, 1936 l INVENTQR. .EQ/50N.

Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED ,sTATEs ATENT OFFICE 2,151,959 Roer moss Application September 15, 1936, Serial N0. 100,887

10 Claims.

My invention relates to roof trusses and particularly to the timber trusses commonly known as the bcwstring type.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a novel shoe for rigidly and economically securing together the coincident ends of the upper arched and and lower chords o-f a truss, and to provide such a shoe which is simple and economical to fabricate.

Another important object of this invention is the provision in connection with such a shoe of simple means for fastening the truss to a wall or column, and also for anchoring horizontal angle braces.

A further important object is the provision of a novel and simple method of fabrication of the upper chord of a timber bow-string type of truss.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and simple method of securing the upper ends of diagonal braces to the secured or abutted ends of the sections of the upper chord.

With these and other objects in View, as will appear hereinafter, I have devised a roof truss having certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly `set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a, part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a roof truss embodying my invention in one form;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation thereof taken through 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the shoe for the truss;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the truss;

- Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are Views similar to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of a slightly modified form of my truss.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the lower chord I and the arched upper chord 2 .are each made of spaced apart timbers, such as 2.inch planks, placed on edge, the elements of the former being designated |a and of the latter 2a. These chords are supported relative to each other by vertical cross braces 3 and diagonal braces 4. These braces, in most instances, r.are secured with their ends between the spaced apart elements or timbers of which the chords are made; that is, the chord elements are spaced apart the thickness of the braces.V ,y The coincident ends of the chords or chord members are secured together by end members or shoes I I. Each shoe, in this instance, consists essentially of an end plate I2 and a pair of spaced apart web members I3. The end plate consists of a horizontal or vbase plate |2a having an upwardly bent or right angle portion or Viiange I2b at its outer edge, and at the upper edge of the latter a relatively narrow flange I2c which exv5 tends upwardly, at an acute angle, over the base plate. That is, the plate I2C, which serves as a retaining plate, is spaced above the base plate, and these two plates are joined `at their coincident edges by the portion or plate |21. The web members yor plates are placed on edge and perpendicular to the base plate I2a and flange I2b and extend horizontally a considerable 'distance beyond the'base plate. They are of substantially the width of or slightly less than the chord elements la, and the outside width 'of the spaced apart plates is substantially equal to the space between the chord elements la so as to ll 'the space therebetween.

The base plate I2a is provided with holes I2@l for securing the truss to an abutment, Wall, or column. This plate is provided with other holes 2e forwardly thereof, that is, in the portion normally extending beyond the wall, for attaching horizontal cross braces.

Between the web plates I3 is located a filler I4, preferably of wood.

The web plates I3' extend through and beyond the joined portions of the plates VI2a and |20, that is, through and beyond the joining portion which, in this instance, is the vertical plate or flange I2b. 'Ihese web plates extend preferably through spaced vertical slots in Vthe vertical flange |"2b and are bent in opposite directions against the outerside of said flange 12b, as indicated by |2f. These bent over portions |2f may be secured to the flange I2b by rivets `lli or by Welding, or both. The lower edges of the web plates are preferably welded to the base plate.

.At the top of 'the 'chord is a cap plate 2|, in the form of a 2 inch plank, which extends over both chord elements 2e and is wider than the overall width of both, as shown in Fig.`2.

The end of the upper chord, consisting of the elements '2e and the capplate 2|, is seated in the end member or shoe I, being butted with its end against the base plate I2a and the vertical flange I2b and with the cap plate retained by and engaging the underside of the flange I2C.

The ends of rthe lower chord elements |a are bevelled at Ib and fitted against the under edge of the elements 2a. The ends of the lower edges of Athe latter rest on the base plate I2ab as shown vin Figs. 1 and 4.

At .the opposite sides and 'over the joint or splice between the ends of the chord members is provided preferably an angular plate of structural ply-Wood 26.

The angular plates 26, and chord elements la and 2EL are secured together and to the web of the shoe by bolts I5, as shown.

The arched upper chord member 2 consists of a plurality of sections, namely, end sections 2b, and intermediate sections 2 and 2d. All sections are made up of spaced apart chord elements 2a. The elements of the end sections 2b are straight timbers or planks with straight top and bottom edges. The top edges of the center section 2d and the other sections 20, between the center and end sections, are curved as shown. This method of constructing the upper chord presents an appearance very similar to the conventional bowstring truss, has substantially the same load carrying capacity, and is considerably more economical to make.

The several sections of the upper chord are spliced together by ller members 3|, each half being secured between the elements of the adjacent and abutting sections. The several members are bolted together substantially as shown.

The upper ends of the vertical braces 3 abut against the under side of median portions of the ller members, and are secured in place by metal straps 32 which extend around the ller members and the opposite sides of the braces, as shown.

The modified structure, shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 'I is similar in construction, in most respects, except that the chord elements Ia and 2a are placed against each other and the cross braces 3 and 4 are secured to the outer sides of said chord elements. The shoe II is also modified in that the plates of the web I3 are placed together, as shown in Fig. 7. With this construction, the chord elements are slightly separated at their ends so as to receive the web plates.

If desired, the web I3, in this modification, may consist of a single plate, welded at its lower edge and end to the plate I2 of the shoe.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, and certain modications thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the same, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a roof truss, a shoe for the truss consisting of a horizontal plate having at its outer edge an upwardly bent flange and at the upper edge of the latter a portion extending forwardly and upwardly at an angle to the horizontal plate, said shoe having a long web at the median portion of the shoe and extending from the upwardly bent flange over and considerably beyond the horizontal plate, and bottom chord and top chord members, each chord comprising a pair of* horizontally spaced apart timbers, said pairs of timbers extending divergingly outwardly, with respect to each other, from the shoe between the horizontal plate and the flange, said web being positioned between and secured to the members of each pair.

2. In a roof truss, a shoe for the truss consisting of a horizontal plate having at its outer edge an upwardly bent ilange and at the upper edge of the latter a portion extending forwardly and upwardly at an angle to the horizontal plate, said shoe having a long web at the median portion of the shoe and extending from the upwardly bent flange over and beyond the horizontal plate, said web comprising a pair of adjacently positioned long plates extending with one end through the upwardly bent ange and bent and secured against the outer side thereof, and bottom chord and top chord members positioned at the opposite sides of the web and extending outwardly from the shoe between the horizontal plate and the angular flange.

3. In a roof truss, a shoe for the truss consisting of a horizontal plate having at its outer edge an upwardly bent flange and at the upper edge of the latter a portion extending forwardly and upwardly at an angle to the horizontal plate, said shoe having a long web at the median portion of the shoe and extending from the upwardly bent flange over and beyond the horizontal plate, said web comprising a pair of spaced apart long plates, a iiller piece between the web plates, and bottom chord and top chord members, each chord comprising a pair of horizontally spaced apart timbers, said pairs of timbers extending divergingly outwardly, with respect to each other, from the shoe between the horizontal plate and the ange, said web being positioned between and secured to the members of each pair.

4. In a roof truss, a shoe for the truss consisting of a horizontal plate having at its outer edge an upwardly bent flange and at the upper edge of the latter a portion extending forwardly and upwardly at an angle to the horizontal plate, said shoe having a long web at the median portion of the shoe and extending from the upwardly bent flange over and beyond the horizontal plate, said web comprising a pair of spaced apart long plates extending with one end through the upwardly bent flange and bent and secured against the outer side thereof, a ller piece between the web plates, and bottom chord and top chord members positioned at the opposite sides of the web and extending outwardly from the shoe between the horizontal plate and the angular flange.

5. In a timber roof truss, a lower chord member, an arched upper chord consisting of a plurality of sections, each comprising spaced apart timbers placed on edge with the ends of each pair abutted, iiller members having their opposite end portions secured between the spaced apart timbers of abutting sections, cross braces secured at their lower ends to the lower chord member and with the upper ends abutting the ller members at the abutted ends of the sections, and metal straps extending over the top and sides of the ller members and secured to the opposite sides of the braces.

6. In a roof truss, a shoe for the truss comprising a horizontal plate and a retaining plate disposed at an acute angle relative thereto and joined at its lower edge with the coincident edge of the horizontal plate forming substantially a dihedral angle, the shoe being open at the side opposite the joined portions of the plates, said shoe having a longitudinal web at its median portion extending from the joined portions of the plates, said web extending with one end beyond the joined portions of the plates and bent over and secured against the outer side of the shoe, and. bottom chord and top chord members positioned at the opposite sides of the web and extending outwardly from the shoe between the horizontal and angular plates.

7. In a roof truss, a shoe for the truss comprising a base plate and a retaining plate spaced thereabove and joined at one edge with the coincident edge of the base plate, the shoe being open at the opposite edges of the plates, said shoe having a longitudinal web at its median portion extending from the joined portions of the plates, said web extending with one end beyond the joined portions of the plates and bent over and secured against the outer side of the shoe, and bottom chord and top chord members positioned at the op-posite sides of the web and extending outwardly from the shoe between the base and retaining plates.

8. In a timber roof truss, a shoe for the truss comprising a base plate arid a retaining plate spaced thereabove and joined at one edge with the coincident edge of the base plate, the shoe being open at the opposite .edges of the plates, said shoe having a longitudinal web at its median portion extending from the joined portions of the plates, said web comprising a pair of spaced apart long plates; and a bottom chord and a top chord, each comprising a pair of horizontally spaced timbers, said pairs of timbers extending divergingly outwardly with respect to each other from the shoe between the base and retaining plates, the plates of the web being positioned between the end portions of the spaced apart timbers of both chords.

9. In a timber roof' truss, a shoe for the truss comprising a base plate and a retaining plate spaced thereabove and joined at one edge with the coincident edge of the base plate, the shoe being open at the opposite edges of the plates, said shoe having a longitudinal web at its median portion extending from the joined portions of the plates, said web comprising a pair of spaced apart long plates; a bottom chord and a top chord, each comprising a pair of horizontally spaced timbers, said pairs of timbers extending divergingly outwardly with respect to each other from the shoe between the base and retaining plates, the plates of the web being positioned between the end portions of the spaced apart timbers of both chords, and a ller piece between the two web plates.

10. In a roof truss, a shoe for the truss comprising a base plate and a retaining plate spaced thereabove and joined at one edge with the coincident edge of the base plate, the shoe being open at the opposite edges of the plates, said shoe having a longitudinal web at its median portion extending from the joined portions of the plates, a considerable distance beyond the base plate, and a bottom chord and a top chord, each comprising pairs of horizontally spaced timbers, said pairs of timbers extending divergingly outwardly with respect to each other from the shoe between the base and retaining plates, said web being positioned between the end portions of the spaced apart timbers of each chord.

JOI-IN S. EDISON.

lil' 

